Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon officially announced his bid Wednesday for the U.S. Senate seat in his state that's opening up due to Sen. Tom Coburn's early retirement.Follow @politicalticker

Shannon, an African-American who's starting to build a national profile and is considered a rising star in the GOP, made his announcement with statements on Twitter and his website before holding multiple campaign kickoff events.

"It's official: Today I announced my intention to run for the United States Senate," Shannon said in a statement.

"During my time in office, I have been able to help cut taxes by hundreds of millions of dollars, eliminate many millions in waste and duplication, and fundamentally reform our worker's compensation system, saving Oklahoma businesses over one hundred million dollars a year in premium costs," Shannon added.

"Since Dr. Tom Coburn's retirement announcement, I have been honored and overwhelmed by encouragement to succeed him as Oklahoma's senator," Bridenstine said in a statement. "After giving this matter serious consideration and prayer, my family and I have decided I will not to run in the special election to complete Dr. Coburn's term."

Coburn announced two weeks ago that he will retire at the end of the current congressional session, ending his second six-year term two years early. The 65-year-old Republican Senator has been battling cancer, but said in a statement that his decision to step down at the end of this year "isn't about my health, my prognosis, or even by hopes and desires."

Last week GOP Rep. James Lankford announced his candidacy. Three other Oklahoma Republicans, six-term Rep. Tom Cole, state Attorney General Scott Pruitt, and former Gov. Frank Keating all have passed on Senate bids.

With Oklahoma considered a firmly red state, the winner of the GOP June primary (and an August runoff if needed) will be considered the favorite to win November's special election, which will coincide with the already scheduled midterm elections. The state's other U.S. Senator, Republican James Inhofe, as well as Mary Fallin, the state's GOP Governor, are both up for re-election in November.

CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser and CNN Political Director Mark Preston contributed to this report.

soundoff(34 Responses)

Tony D

OMG.... it sure looks like the Democrat plantation has a major problem with escapees!! As more and more blacks wake up to realize the Democrat Party has used and enslaved them for decades, the slow trickle will turn into a flood.

Is that really him, or not? Better make sure, the gop have no boundaries you know

January 29, 2014 03:00 pm at 3:00 pm |

Rudy NYC

"Shannon, an African-American who's starting to build a national profile and is considered a rising star in the GOP, ..."
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Never heard of him. Just because he may have appeared on Fox News before doesn't really mean anything. If he was newsworthy of national headlines, then at least someone, somebody, anybody, this side of Pawhuska would have heard of him before.

Go for it. Hopefully your family won't get photoshopped as apes. But you might want to make sure you announce yourself before entering a room, I'd hate for you to overhear what they call you when they think you're not listening......

Good luck, you'll need it.

January 29, 2014 03:10 pm at 3:10 pm |

smith

Rudy NYC

"Shannon, an African-American who's starting to build a national profile and is considered a rising star in the GOP, ..."
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Never heard of him. Just because he may have appeared on Fox News before doesn't really mean anything. If he was newsworthy of national headlines, then at least someone, somebody, anybody, this side of Pawhuska would have heard of him before.

Of course you haven't heard of Shannon. In your world people who aren't liberals are fat white christian males.

January 29, 2014 03:11 pm at 3:11 pm |

Tony D

h a grain of salt
Tony, just watch your party go down in flames, perhaps concession speeches should be considered? You really think he is, representative of most black people?
-–

No, unfortunately not most black people YET. But he IS representative of most black people that have awakened to the lies and enslavement techniques of the Democrat Party. Martin Luther King spoke about having a dream. The Democrat Party has done everything in its power to squash that dream.

January 29, 2014 03:12 pm at 3:12 pm |

Fair is Fair

Rudy NYC

"Shannon, an African-American who's starting to build a national profile and is considered a rising star in the GOP, ..."
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Never heard of him. Just because he may have appeared on Fox News before doesn't really mean anything. If he was newsworthy of national headlines, then at least someone, somebody, anybody, this side of Pawhuska would have heard of him before.
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He's the Speaker of a State House. How many State House Speakers have you heard of? (Quick – go google some so you can impress us with the results). Besides, WHO CARES if you've heard of him or not?

January 29, 2014 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

Rudy NYC

smith wrote:

"Never heard of him. Just because he may have appeared on Fox News before doesn't really mean anything. If he was newsworthy of national headlines, then at least someone, somebody, anybody, this side of Pawhuska would have heard of him before."

Of course you haven't heard of Shannon. In your world people who aren't liberals are fat white christian males.
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Not every Republican around here resembles Chris Christie. Some are short, Bloomberg. Some are bald, Guiliani. Some are grim, Grimm. I'm not knocking him. I'm knocking the article's claim that he's nationally known. Should I have heard of him? Not.

Enslavement, like denying their access to education, you make my case for me fool.

January 29, 2014 03:32 pm at 3:32 pm |

The REAL Truth...

@Tony D – Martin Luther King spoke about having a dream. The Democrat Party has done everything in its power to squash that dream.
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it's precisely this type of delusional thinking that will keep the GOP hopeful fired up... laughable given that they rather have them back at work on plantations...

Your the perfect gop, never question what your told, even if it can easily be disproven, your priceless to them, informed voters are their nightmare, their clearly safe with you

January 29, 2014 03:35 pm at 3:35 pm |

Marcus (from...?)

smith – are you just saying?
Honestly the same kind of aggessive and baseless claims to dismiss anyone's, usually Rudy but he's not the only one targeted by you and 'you', opinion and the same lack of substance in your opinions made be believe that.

January 29, 2014 03:35 pm at 3:35 pm |

tom l

Rudy NYC

smith wrote:

"Never heard of him. Just because he may have appeared on Fox News before doesn't really mean anything. If he was newsworthy of national headlines, then at least someone, somebody, anybody, this side of Pawhuska would have heard of him before."

Of course you haven't heard of Shannon. In your world people who aren't liberals are fat white christian males.
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Not every Republican around here resembles Chris Christie. Some are short, Bloomberg. Some are bald, Guiliani. Some are grim, Grimm. I'm not knocking him. I'm knocking the article's claim that he's nationally known. Should I have heard of him? Not.
=====

Gosh Rudy, I saw how you did that! Brilliant. Guess what? Some are named Condeleeza, some are name Clarence, some are named Marco, some are named TW, some are named Sarah, some are named JC, some are named Michael, some are named Cathy too!

Or by trying to block their vote, your a real rocket scientist huh? Just because your dumb enough to believe their tripe, doesn't change the informed vote. I would say nice try, but, your pathetic.

January 29, 2014 03:38 pm at 3:38 pm |

smith

Marcus (from...?)

smith – are you just saying?
Honestly the same kind of aggessive and baseless claims to dismiss anyone's, usually Rudy but he's not the only one targeted by you and 'you', opinion and the same lack of substance in your opinions made be believe that

I would like to respond but I don't understand dumb.

January 29, 2014 03:40 pm at 3:40 pm |

tom l

Marcus (from...?)

smith – are you just saying?
Honestly the same kind of aggessive and baseless claims to dismiss anyone's, usually Rudy but he's not the only one targeted by you and 'you', opinion and the same lack of substance in your opinions made be believe that.
=======

It's amazing to me how often liberals on here do this. I have no idea whether smith and just asking are the same person but they love to do this. Marcus, dude, I could say that you sound just like Tampa who sounds just like rs who sounds just like dutch who sounds just like Rudy, etc. I am going to throw the proverbial bucket of water on your face and let you know that not everyone thinks like a liberal. This country actually, statistically speaking, has more people that identify themselves as conservatives compared to liberals (it's actually twice as much). So maybe YOU are the one that is also dutch who is also Tampa who is also rs.... 😉

Only a Republican can be on both sides of the argument, and win both times.

January 29, 2014 03:47 pm at 3:47 pm |

Rudy NYC

tom l wrote:

Of course you haven't heard of Shannon. In your world people who aren't liberals are fat white christian males.
---
Not every Republican around here resembles Chris Christie. Some are short, Bloomberg. Some are bald, Guiliani. Some are grim, Grimm. I'm not knocking him. I'm knocking the article's claim that he's nationally known. Should I have heard of him? Not.
=====

Gosh Rudy, I saw how you did that! Brilliant. Guess what? Some are named Condeleeza, some are name Clarence, some are named Marco, some are named TW, some are named Sarah, some are named JC, some are named Michael, some are named Cathy too!
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You're seeing things, tom. Nobody knows what you're talking about, except, of course, your side is making race an issue once again.

January 29, 2014 03:49 pm at 3:49 pm |

tom l

Marcus (from...?)

Yolanda – Please check ANY dictionary you manage to put your hands on. This comes from the American Heritage Dictionary: adj. 1. Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
I agree that the first definition for the word as a noun (n. 1. One favoring traditional views and values) don't come with the 'tending to oppose change' part, but do you want for us to discuss semantics about if that part is implied or not?
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I think the key word there is "tending". It all depends on what "change" you are talking about. Change just to change is nothing. That's why I feel that when people say "at least he did something" (talking about the ACA here) as if that was good enough. Change for a reason that makes sense and is an improvement is altogether different. Please look at the Civil Rights Act of 1964. You will see that both dems and repubs voted for it (and repubs voted in a higher percentage). So conservatives might be resistant to change but they certainly are not unwilling to change.

January 29, 2014 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

Tony

Tom l., you sound just like tom l. No one talks more while conveying less than you.

January 29, 2014 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

Rudy NYC

tom l wrote:

...It's amazing to me how often liberals on here do this. I have no idea whether smith and just asking are the same person but they love to do this. Marcus, dude, I could say that you sound just like Tampa who sounds just like rs who sounds just like dutch who sounds just like Rudy, etc. ....
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Your "liberals" ask that question because it is pretty obvious that it is happening. BTW, you sound like a kid with an ant farm.